Oil industry looking to block increased use of ethanol

The oil industry is filing suit to try and block a proposed increase in the amount of ethanol being pumped into our vehicles. Iowa is the nation’s number-one ethanol producer and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to raise the ethanol blend in gasoline from ten to 15%.

Charles Drevna, president of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association, says he’s not against the use of ethanol but doesn’t agree with the process. “The proper testing hasn’t been done,” Drevna says. “They’ve looked at one small part of the engine, not bumper-to-bumper where we think testing should come into play. We don’t want to prematurely put anything in an automobile engine or any other engine that we’re not confident as providers of that fuel that meets the tests of a safe, reliable and efficient product.”

Last fall, the EPA said it would allow 15% ethanol, or E-15, only to be used in vehicles made in 2007 or newer. Last month, the EPA revised its earlier decision and said E-15 could also be used in vehicles built between 2001 and ’06. Drevna says his group would like to see Congress get involved in the decision-making process and really research this issue.

“The whole process of how we’re going to, as an industry, implement a 36-billion gallon mandate by 2022 is very problematic,” he says. “We’re not asking that we destroy the renewable fuel standard. What we’re asking for is to take a time out to see where it’s going to come from, how it’s going to be produced, what kind it’s going to be and how it’s going to impact the engine, how it’s going to impact the economy.”

The National Petrochemical and Refiners Association is also suing over the EPA’s effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Drevna says since all nations share a common atmosphere, there will be zero environmental benefits resulting from moving greenhouse gas emissions from the U-S to other nations.

Drevna says, “The global emissions will most likely increase because other countries most likely don’t have the strict environmental air quality standards that we do.” He says companies will likely move out of the U-S to countries that don’t have the strict regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. He says the outcome of that will be a plunging U-S economy.

“Greenhouse gas regulations as the way EPA is attempting to regulate them will absolutely destroy millions of American jobs,” Drevna says. “It will cripple American manufacturing and it’s going to send those jobs to other nations, most likely China and India.” Drevna says all types of energy sources are going to be used but we can’t say we’re going to switch from a fossil fuel-based economy to something that really doesn’t exist.